Title: Thomas Friedman, NY Times, Wishes to be China for one day Source:
[None] URL Source:[None] Published:May 24, 2010 Author:Tom Friedman Post Date:2010-05-24 18:32:37 by Jethro Tull Keywords:None Views:35
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Personal life
Thomas Friedman was born in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. He attended St. Louis Park High School and wrote articles for his school's newspaper,[2] including a story about Ariel Sharon, an Israeli general who later became Prime Minister of Israel. Friedman graduated in 1971.
Friedman studied at the University of Minnesota for two years but later transferred to Brandeis University. In 1975, Friedman received a bachelor of arts in Mediterranean studies from Brandeis University. He then attended St Antony's College at the University of Oxford on a Marshall scholarship, earning an M.Phil. in Middle Eastern studies. He names Professor Albert Hourani among his important academic influences.
Friedman's wife, Ann, is a graduate of Stanford University and the London School of Economics.[3] Her father, Matthew Bucksbaum, was the chairman of the board of General Growth Properties, a real estate development group.[4] As of 2007, Forbes estimated the Bucksbaum family's assets at $4.1 billion, including about 18.6 million square meters of mall space, but the firm's value later plummeted.[5][6] The family's trust declined in value from $3.6 billion to $25 million.[7] On April 16, 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, after failing to reach a deal with its creditors.[8] The GGP collapse marked the largest real estate bankruptcy in U.S. history.[9]
Ann and Thomas Friedman live in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. The July 2006 issue of Washingtonian reported that they own "a palatial 11,400-square-foot (1,060 m2) house, currently valued at $9.3 million, on a 7½-acre parcel just blocks from I-495 and Bethesda Country Club." Friedman is paid $50,000 per speaking engagement.[7]
He has two daughters: Orly Friedman (b. 1985) and Natalie Friedman (b. 1988). Both were born in Israel while Friedman served as a correspondent for The New York Times.[10] Friedman has dedicated many of his published works to his daughters.
